Entering spring training of 1961, and Minnesotans are getting excited to see their new team! It looks like the Twins might be a good team right away according to the projections.

Happy you made a deal with my close personal friend Sid Hartman.

I think your goal of more than 2 WS is possible.  There were some really good teams down through the years.

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

Happy you made a deal with my close personal friend Sid Hartman.

I think your goal of more than 2 WS is possible.  There were some really good teams down through the years.

 

The Twins need a GM who can hang around for the long haul. Our team trainer said he has impeccable genetics to make it to 100 years old! 

My plan is to make a new blog post once I sim through each decade. Is there anyone from the 1960s that you’re curious about? 

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

The Twins need a GM who can hang around for the long haul. Our team trainer said he has impeccable genetics to make it to 100 years old! 

My plan is to make a new blog post once I sim through each decade. Is there anyone from the 1960s that you’re curious about? 

What, are you saying I'm old?  I guess I'm curious about the differences between 1961 and 1962, in which essentially the same team went from bad to good.  Lots of incremental changes, rather than a few guys who suddenly came out of nowhere.

Just now, ashbury said:

What, are you saying I'm old?

You're still a young pup compared to @USAFChief . The furthest you can go back for a player's birthday is 1901 so I couldn't put him in there as an Easter egg for the series! 

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

What, are you saying I'm old?  I guess I'm curious about the differences between 1961 and 1962, in which essentially the same team went from bad to good.  Lots of incremental changes, rather than a few guys who suddenly came out of nowhere.

No Pedro Ramos to kick around and solidified the infield play adding Vic Power, Bernie Allen and Rich Rollins to team with Zoilo.

Are you using the historical transactions and lineups , Vanimal, or letting the game make the calls? I'd love for the Twins to have not pinched so many pennies in the late 70s and to have held on to Lyman Bostock instead of losing him as a free agent to the Angels. What could he have accomplished over a full Twins career if not tragically murdered at age 27? 

4 hours ago, Teflon said:

Are you using the historical transactions and lineups , Vanimal, or letting the game make the calls? I'd love for the Twins to have not pinched so many pennies in the late 70s and to have held on to Lyman Bostock instead of losing him as a free agent to the Angels. What could he have accomplished over a full Twins career if not tragically murdered at age 27? 

All I'm doing is historical rosters and up to date minor league teams up to 1961. Then letting the game do its thing after that. As a modern day fan since 1998, I've got to say the most difficult part of playing in the 60's era is not making a lot of trades. I'm trying to stay true to the era and not turn over the roster that way. 

7 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

No Pedro Ramos to kick around and solidified the infield play adding Vic Power, Bernie Allen and Rich Rollins to team with Zoilo.

In my fantasy world, Pedro Ramos is still with the Twins in 1962 and Vic Power was selected by the Mets in the expansion draft. What was the real story of Pedro Ramos at the time? 

43 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

In my fantasy world, Pedro Ramos is still with the Twins in 1962 and Vic Power was selected by the Mets in the expansion draft. What was the real story of Pedro Ramos at the time? 

Pedro Ramos wasn't a bad pitcher even though his 20 losses in '61 was the 4th straight year leading the league in losses. The Cuban Cowboy generally gave up a lot of hits (kind of like a right-handed version of Jim Kaat) with more than a few leaving the park (some called him the Cuban Gopher Baller) and the Twins sent him to Cleveland for Vic Power and Dick Stigman. Pedro served up the pitch that Mickey Mantle hit to the moon in '56, and later pitched in relief for the Yankees, helping them overcome the White Sox and Orioles in a very tight race to secure the pennant in '64.  He was acquired by the yankees in early September and pitched in 13 games, getting 8 saves while striking out 21 in 22 innings and walking no one.

I guess he was quite fast afoot and was used as a pinch runner many times. He also hit 15 homers in his career. I think the trade to Cleveland was more about acquiring Power then getting rid of Ramos. The Twins had an up-coming star named Tony Oliva and Power as a fellow Cuban helped Tony in his adjustment to being in America and the major leagues.

27 minutes ago, AceWrigley said:

Pedro Ramos wasn't a bad pitcher even though his 20 losses in '61 was the 4th straight year leading the league in losses. The Cuban Cowboy generally gave up a lot of hits (kind of like a right-handed version of Jim Kaat) with more than a few leaving the park (some called him the Cuban Gopher Baller) and the Twins sent him to Cleveland for Vic Power and Dick Stigman. Pedro served up the pitch that Mickey Mantle hit to the moon in '56, and later pitched in relief for the Yankees, helping them overcome the White Sox and Orioles in a very tight race to secure the pennant in '64.  He was acquired by the yankees in early September and pitched in 13 games, getting 8 saves while striking out 21 in 22 innings and walking no one.

I guess he was quite fast afoot and was used as a pinch runner many times. He also hit 15 homers in his career. I think the trade to Cleveland was more about acquiring Power then getting rid of Ramos. The Twins had an up-coming star named Tony Oliva and Power as a fellow Cuban helped Tony in his adjustment to being in America and the major leagues.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. The fun in this for me is learning more about baseball history as well as Twins history. For example, I had to re-start the game because I did not realize that the amateur draft did not begin until 1965! 

12 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. The fun in this for me is learning more about baseball history as well as Twins history. For example, I had to re-start the game because I did not realize that the amateur draft did not begin until 1965! 

And now you know the special importance of Rick Monday!  (Other than being a good player, I mean.)